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Ok fair enough, but answer this for me. Do you think good ol' Joel's actions in spending money this way leads more people to Christ or turns more people off to Jesus completely? In the face of all the starving people in this world, is that really the most Christ like example of how to deal with money? I think I'd literally have to either remove my thinking mind, or be completely ignorant to Christ message to think his example was in any way what Christ taught, but people love money so someone comes along and says "God wants you to have all the "better things" in life, so people flock to it, not because of there love for God, but for the love of a God they make up. Reread the gospels and show me where Jesus told us we'd have our "best life now", please.
The thing is Christians are slandered all the time especially the ones who are having an effect on the world., you can bet they will be slandered the most since they are "out there" in the public eye the most. Having money doesn't mean we love it. Many believers are actually very good at taking what God gives and allowing it to flow through them to others. And God blesses them even more because they know how to hold on to things with a lose hand. They have experienced God's blessings and know that God's hand is very generous. So they have learned to also be generous.
Sure., we are not in Joel O. price bracket but neither are we giving out from his price bracket. The truth of sowing and reaping is specific to financial issues. Many believers do believe in tithing knowing how it works it is an opportunity to honor God. We honor God with the first fruits of our substance knowing He has already provided for us and will provide because we can't out give God. Then we learn to give even more and become "channels" of blessings to the poor and needy.
No one in this chat room knows what other believers do with all their money or their motives. How do people know if Joel O. for instance gives in the proportion God has blessed him? Frankly I do believe that is the case with not only Joel but with many other wealthy Christians., and God continues to bless them knowing it goes out of their hands freely. We are blessed to be a blessing.
You don't know if Joel already gives to starving people in this world and what he does in his community., and most probably a lot of money is given based on how blessed he is. I've been around rich believers and have seen how generous they are and they don't go about telling the world about it. They allow God to get the glory.
I will look at it this way because I have seen God's generous hand in my own life and know He is not lacking for money. I think God has surely blessed Joel O. so much so that Joel has tons extra to buy a huge house with the chump change.
The Bible says to trust the Lord and allow Him to be our shield and buckler. Don't lay up for yourselves treasures on earth where dust and moth corrupts... That is allowing the flowing of God's blessings like a flowing stream that does not get stagnant and stays fresh. Use the treasures for the kingdom of God. Give the small things and God can trust you to give the even bigger things. Joel seems to have done just that.